RadioShack and Toys R Us Holiday Foursquare Badges and Deals

This year it seems like we as consumers have been placed right in the middle of a digital battle of epic proportions between retailers and our wallets. This is likely due to the economic problems impacting merchants and all of the new digital communication mediums that companies can add to their marketing mix. From a location standpoint, Foursquare is certainly the overwhelming favorite and many retailers from the national level down to the local independant shop are lining up promos to lure people into their stores to spend money this holiday season. Two notable national campaigns have recently rolled out and will feature not only savings, but new badges as well: RadioShack and Toys R Us.

Long time electronics retailer RadioShack is ramping up their holiday marketing efforts under a new marketing initiative called Be A Holiday Hero which turns ordinary shoppers into superheroes after they give the perfect gift this season. To unlock the new Holiday Hero RadioShack Foursquare badge you need to follow RadioShack then check into two different “holiday hero hot-spots” before checking in at a RadioShack store. What is a holiday hero hot-spot? Well, this is the part where they tie in their new marketing campaign with the Foursquare badge. You need to visit a gym (where superheroes work out) or a coffee shop (where superheroes refuel their powers) or a travel location (how superheroes speed around the country). These are category based venues and do not need a branded tip to qualify. Once you visit the RadioShack location you will be awarded the new badge and will receive a 10% discount for checking in, a 15% discount if you are the mayor, and a 20% discount when you unlock the badge!

I’ve been a Toys R Us kid my whole life so this badge is a lot of fun for me personally. Earning the Toys”R”Us Geoffrey the Giraffe holiday badge is a little simpler as it does not require you to follow them on Foursquare and only takes one check-in at a Toys R Us store to unlock it (starting at 9:30pm on Thanksgiving night). Both this and the RadioShack badge should be available through the holiday season at the end of December. In conjunction with this new badge, they are running a check-in promotion to kick off the infamous “Black Friday” shopping day. Toys R Us will open at 9:30pm local time on Thanksgiving and will be rewarding the first 3,000 shoppers who check-in on either Facebook Places, Yelp, or Foursquare a coupon for 15% off an in-store purchase of $150 or more.

Good luck out there folks. This holiday season will be intense as companies fight for your dollars. Hope y’all have a safe and happy holiday!